Category Archives: Inside Scoop

Giveaway: Currently Loving Clay Bouquet for Sparkles On Your Wedding Day

Posted on June 18, 2012 by Alison in Featured, Gotta Have It, Inside Scoop

Enter to WIN over the next two weeks! But first…

So here’s the thing. There are a zillion ways to accessorize for your wedding day. The options can be overwhelming and the prices are all over the place and you drive yourself crazy wondering if they’re high just because they’re “bridal” or because they’re made out of offspring from the Smithsonian’s Hope diamond. So here’s what I’m going to do to make your life easier so you can get back to Pinning. Go to Clay Bouquet — which makes more than just adorned bouquets — and get busy browsing and buying.

Jennifer is the talented arteest (artist, but with a snobby French accent because she’s just that good) behind the creations that will have brides sparkling down the aisle.

If you made me choose just one favorite item in her shop, it would be a very tough decision. It would be like having to decide what tastes better: your bubbie’s perfectly fluffy matzah balls or her homemade rugelach. I mean, that’s just cruel. But since I play by the rules, I will say that I love Clay Bouquet‘s headbands, specifically, the Stunning Golden Rhinestone and Pearl Headband. The delicate piece doesn’t skimp on glam, and the gold hues would definitely look amazing on brunettes (Jewish girls, holla!! Or, um, challah?).

I also really like Michelle – Petite Vintage style Jeweled Ribbon Headband – Something Blue. The reason? Its in the name. Something blue! I meant to do a “something blue” and totally forgot. I can’t believe I forgot. I mean, what was I doing that was more important? Getting married? Psshhh. At the last minute, I realized the Dodgers-themed garter could count as my “something blue,” but I wish I’d put more thought into it and that it was an accessory to my bridal look. So here it is! A dazzling “something blue” that also does a bang-up job of dressing up your hair. Hair can be up, down, half way, swept away — it doesn’t matter. This headband would look amazing.

If you don’t need any bling for your head, perhaps a little sparkle on your dress? Beaded sashes look amazing on wedding dresses, especially if your gown isn’t already detail-heavy. These sashes at the waist are extremely flattering and also add personal style to your bridal ensemble.

Jennifer is able to customize your beaded sash based on your personal stats for sizing. That’s a good thing because, I mean, when was the last time you saw all women with the same exact shape and size? (Okay, those Real Housewives of Wherever don’t count because they all basically bought their bodies). Anyway, point is, Jennifer works with you to make sure you are going to look your best!

Prices are reasonable. Jennifer doesn’t feel like leaving you in wedding debt (Thanks, Jennifer!) and just wants you to see the value in looking pretty! They’re all totally affordable, priced between $30 and $175. Plus, supporting small business is good karma.

Okay, so why is Jennifer’s shop called Clay Bouquet? The beaded hair and dress accessories are not her only talent. Like many handmade artists in the bridal industry, Jennifer’s creations started with her own wedding. After Jennifer tied the knot, everyone in her circle urged her to provide handcrafted bouquets for other brides! These bouquets are unique and special because they’re going to live forever! Brooch bouquets provide all the razzle-dazzle a bride may dream of as she walks down the aisle. Or, if she wants a traditional floral look without the help of Mother Nature, Jennifer sculpts extremely realistic flowers out of clay! She creates them all by hand, including every detail of a flower. She’s happy to add other fancy-shmancy elements like feathers, sentimental objects, pearls, and gems. Matching with wedding colors is a no-brainer, too!

So what are you playing to win today and over the next two weeks? Clay Bouquet is giving away a $25 gift certificate to her store! Just check out Clay Bouquet‘s shop and report back here by leaving a comment and sharing what you would choose if you won the prize!

Entries will be accepted through Monday, July 2nd at 11:59 p.m. PST. Winner is selected at random and announced on Facebook on July 3rd. The $25 gift certificate will never expire, is open worldwide, and is not transferable, not redeemable for cash and cannot be combined with other gift certificates towards one item.

Good luck!

Advice From a Professional Wedding Guest: Save the Dates

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Alison in Featured, From the Expert, Inside Scoop, Planning

Carly Eskin has been attending weddings all of her life. She has been a bridesmaid, bridal shower organizer, and even coordinated her best friend’s nuptials. As far as weddings go, she loves creative venues, pretty color palettes, dancing the Hora, and busting her moves to Sly and the Family Stone’s “We Are Family”, even if she isn’t part of the family. Her dislikes include mosquitos at outdoor venues, the redundancy of “Please RSVP”, and being the only unmarried woman forced to go and catch the bouquet while Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” is playing. Carly is a native Angeleno. She writes, works, watches bad (aka amazing) television, and is obsessed with her niece and nephew. She is currently single and looking for her tall, chubby, bearded beshert, so help a girl out.

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While I graduated with a B.A. in psychology, what I really have is a Ph.D. in being a wedding guest. I have been to a wide array of weddings. I have been to very spendthrift weddings and I have been to weddings that cost in the six figures. From destination weddings to backyard soirées, grand hotels to public parks, I have seen them all. And, I take mental notes; very detailed mental notes. Needless to say, I know what a guest likes (open bar if you can) and dislikes (mosquitos at outdoor venues!). In my series, I want to share the usually ignored opinion of what we wedding guests appreciate and what we dread.

Today it’s all about something that affects the lives of all potential wedding guests: STDs. Ya know, Save the Dates.

As the old adage says, you only have one time to make a first impression. And, in the wedding world, that impression is usually in the form of a Save the Date.

First impressions, much like that first date you had with your soon-to-be husband, set the tone for the forthcoming journey. And, as The Wedding Yentas resident wedding guest expert, I know that the most memorable Save the Dates are the creative ones! This is in no way to say that an elegant, letter pressed, simple Save the Date is the wrong choice, because I have seen some that just take my breath away. But, as a guest of the wedding, I always enjoy something that makes me laugh, smile, and makes me want to show others and say, “This was just too cute not to share!”

The following are some of my favorite examples and tips on how to please your wedding guests because after all, your wedding is being thrown for them, am I right? No? Whatever.

Tip #1: Everyone loves pictures of you both as kids
Take Carly and Kurt here. Look at those punims! Who knew that one day that adorable little girl and that debonair toddler would one day find themselves in love with one another? I’m sure Aunt Marcia is getting a kick strolling down memory lane. This is surely being taken to the “beauty shop” to be passed around. Is this the little girl I carried? Is this the little boy at play? Damn right it is. Sunrise, sunset!

Tip #2: Be silly!
Did you both really just write on your face? Yes, you did. And I thank you for the chuckle and I will definitely be saving that date. I just hope they weren’t silly enough to use a Sharpie.

Tip #3: Always be creative!
My, my, that Kristy and Nathan are original. And, it’s interactive! Jeez, I really feel like I’m a part of this wedding. And I also feel like I’m back at summer camp in the 6th grade. Need a noun? Always go for the sure fire laugh of Poop.

Tip #4: If you are skilled with a video camera and are able to figure out how to upload and edit your recordings, take advantage of yourself… or that college roommate you made fun of for thinking they were going to be the next Coppola.

I love this video. I haven’t met these people, but I want to! And I also want(ed) to go to their wedding because if they know how to put together an awesome and funny Save the Date, think about the awesome wedding they will throw.

Tip #5: Puns!

Get it? They’re tying the knot, and you just tied the knot when you opened the Save the Date. This is actually my personal favorite and the route I’m going when I find that nice Jewish boy (Read: sucker) to put a ring on it. This is one of those ideas that has the recipient opening and closing the card multiple times to see the string tie and untie. This Save the Date is not only beautiful and elegant, it has just the right dash of whimsy that says, “Yes, we’re classy, but playful. Come to our wedding, have a nosh, dance the Hora and rejoice!”

So, those were just a sampling of what catches my attention in the Save the Date world. These are the ones that make it onto the refrigerator.

What was your Save the Date like? And if you are still in the planning stages, what ideas have you come up with?

Getting Ready With The Girls

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Alison in Inside Scoop, Planning

Getting ready with your bridesmaids is a fun start to your amazing wedding day! Whether you’re waking up together from a hotel slumber party the night before or you’re meeting at the bridal room of your venue to get gussied up, a fun and girly ambiance sets the tone for your day.

Most likely, you and your gals will get ready together with a photographer and maybe even the videographer with you to document this special time. Be yourselves! Laugh! Hug! Toast! These are the great moments that are captured to last as memories for years to come.

You might want to bring some bubbly with you! Most importantly, it will relax you because it’s likely you’ll have wedding day butterflies out of excitement. Also, there’s nothing like the sound of popping a bottle of Champagne and hearing the girly squeals of “Cheeeeeeers!” as you toast to your very near nuptials. Just make sure to have your lip color ready to reapply!

You might also want to gift your bridesmaids with a getting-ready outfit that looks great in pictures and, ideally, they can wear again! Matching robes with each girl’s embroidered monogram, coordinating track suits, and even fun t-shirts are spirited threads for the morning of the wedding. The only reason to think twice about t-shirts is the hair and makeup factor: when the bridesmaid goes to change into her dress and she’s already had her hair and makeup done, she may risk some damage. Therefore, it’s highly recommended you save the t-shirts for another bridal event and instead gift a getting-ready outfit that can wrap around, unbottom, or unzip.

Posed and candid shots are fun! You can all dog pile onto the bed in the hotel room for a group shot, which is really sweet for a bride and bridesmaids if they all know each other well and have spent a lot of time together like in a sorority house or weekend nights in high school. Candid shots of makeup applications, dress zipping, and bouquet holding are all wonderful moments to show the bond you and your ladies have during this portion of your milestone.

If your mom is close with your gal pals, it might be cute to have her join the party, too! Generations of your most favorite women all together will make your getting ready experience sentimental. I’ve seen wonderful photos of all the bride’s girlfriends and her mom and grandma hugging and supporting the bride as she enjoys the last few hours before she becomes a Mrs.

Your getting-ready morning shouldn’t make you feel stressed or anxious. Just relax, smile, enjoy the pampering and know that with your favorite friends and family, you’re on your way to the best moments of your life!

Engaged to Inspire

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Alison in Featured, Inside Scoop, Planning

You’re engaged. You’ve picked your photographer. And it’s time to set up your engagement photo shoot. Aaaaand cue the blank thought bubbles and blame lack of inspiration. What should you wear? Where should you go? How do you pose? Should you bring props?

Kunio Photography shares Rachelle and Richard who do an engagement photo shoot right!

Take note: Wear clothes that are expressions of you! Make sure they’re comfy. You don’t want to be futzing with weird straps or funky waistlines.

Suggest a location that’s picturesque. If there’s a place that has special meaning to you, then fabulous! If you really can’t peg down a spot that gives you warm fuzzies, then just pick the pretty! Fields with wildflowers seem to be popular. Old farmhouses. City streets with colorful backdrops. You can do some really creative shots in these locations.

Allow your photographer to direct you and just go with you. The person you hired behind the camera may try some adventurous poses on you, and have fun with it because these are your engagement photos. Not your usual Saturday night going-out framers. They shouldn’t look like the rest of your snaps that are in your iPhone’s camera roll. They’re going to be the photos that go on your save-the-dates or guestbook or on your bubbie’s fridge. Getting artsy is totally kosher! Romantic poses. Flirty poses. Fun poses. Serious poses. Do ’em all and do ’em with gusto. Rock that camera like you’re not the next top model, but you are the top model. Right now.

Props. Are. So. Fun! No. They’re not. More like: PROPS ARE SOOOOOO FUN!!!!!!!!!!! Get creative with props and bring items that complement your photo space, your wardrobe, and your personalities. Props are the X factor that help showcase the reason why you’re you as individuals and as a couple. With the help of props, your love will make sense.

This adorable shoot looks like it belongs on the pages of an Anthropologie catalogue. Love the wardrobe and style. Love the location. Love the use of props. Rachelle and Richard come to life as a couple. Don’t you feel like you know them? And love them?

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Yenta-quette: Ask Desiree, Edition 1

Posted on June 4, 2012 by Alison in From the Expert, Inside Scoop, Planning, Yenta-quette

The Wedding Yentas is so excited to introduce Yenta-quette, a new installation of questions and answers about wedding etiquette from a Los Angeles foodie, social butterfly, and former Real Weddings bride, Desiree Jacobs. Be on the lookout for Desiree’s column that will share real answers to real questions about the why and how of wedding planning!

Desiree, more than anything, enjoys coming home from work and putting on pajamas. She loves to eat Mexican food and sushi (not together) and couldn’t live without chocolate. She’s got a penchant for reality tv and 90s music. She lives with her husband Richard and the cutest dog that ever lived, Breaker. She wears a size 7 shoe and would love the entire current Sam Edelman collection and black Louboutains. Feel free to send them her way! Oh and Kate Spade bags are also appreciated. If you love Yenta-quette and you’re like, “I NEED MORE OF THAT” visit her blog at www.bundtsofsteelblog.com.

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Are you required to ask a friend to be in your wedding if you were in hers?

My dear, your wedding is one of your most special of days. I’m sure you were flattered, or perhaps you were surprised when your friend asked you to be in her wedding. Every bride and every couple has unique circumstances that will impact their wedding. Your wedding should be exactly that, UNIQUE and reflective of you as a couple. I wish I could say you aren’t “required” or obligated to do anything you don’t want to for your wedding, but of course we all have to make compromises here and there. However, choosing members of your wedding party should not be one of them!

You should surround yourself with the people who are the most important to you, the most supportive of you, and people who you feel will be there for you in the years to come. No one wants to look back at their wedding photos and not still have those friends who stood at the chuppah with you not be in their life anymore. That would be so sad. Maybe you were closer with your friend around the time of her wedding and you’ve grown apart. Maybe she chose girls based on different criteria than you are selecting bridesmaids on, and maybe she had every single girl she has ever met in her wedding party. Either way, you meant something to her at that point in her life, but maybe she holds a different place at this point in your life.

There are things we sometimes do to make parents happy for our weddings, but your bridesmaids should be friends or family that are chosen without any obligatoin. Ask your girlfriends to stand up there with you because you can’t imagine them not there with you, not because you were in her wedding. Her feelings might be hurt, yes, and my wedding wish for you is that she is mature enough not to make you feel badly about your choices and that she attends and dances the hora at your wedding because she is nothing but happy for you!

What’s the protocol for food selection? Do I have to give an option of chicken or fish or can I just choose one entree for my guests with vegetarian options on hand that night for those who don’t eat meat?

Alas, food: one of my favorite topics in life! I have been to my fair share of weddings and I honestly don’t remember the food from the majority of them. Just like the kitchen is the heart of the home, the food can be a high point of your wedding. Don’t get stuck in the chicken or fish trap! Have fun with this, please! Your guests will thank you. If it’s an economical choice, by all means, choose something affordable. But if budget is no issue, have filet, have jidori chicken, have loup de mer, have a fabulous truffled mushroom ravioli. Please, no blah steamed vegetable sides! Push your caterer to present you with foods that represent you as a couple and how you want your wedding to feel. The food at your wedding is a great time to make a statement about the new Mr. and Mrs. Maybe you’re having a rustic fete in a vineyard? Find a caterer who uses locally sourced produce and let them do their thing. Don’t ever feel like you need to conform to some traditional chicken or fish option. Of course, be courteous and offer something for guests with dietary restrictions and preferences, but don’t base your menu around your picky Aunt Sarah or stuffy Bubbe. PLAY IT UP! What do you love to eat? Serve your most favorite foods and your wedding will only be more YOU because of it. Have fun with this one!

How do I determine a guest list for my rehearsal dinner? What about for our brunch the day after our wedding?

Your rehearsal dinner is the first big kick off to your wedding and it’s a really exciting event! It’s basically your wedding pre-party. The bare minimum of who to invite would include everyone who attended the wedding rehearsal which includes your wedding party and parents, and perhaps close family. It is also polite to invite guests who are traveling from out of town to be at your wedding. These guests have spent a decent amount of money to be with you for the weekend and it is nice to feed them the night before the big day. It will give you the opportunity to spend a little more time with these guests and will make the night even more festive with some extra company. If you are able to accommodate even more guests, you can more extended family members, close family friends, and good friends of the couple who are not in the wedding party, but who mean a lot to you. It is also nice to include any hostesses who threw you showers in this list if your budget and the venue can accommodate them.

If you are hosting brunch the morning after your wedding, you should definitely invite any guests who have stayed overnight after the wedding, the wedding party, and close family. Again, if there are others that live close to the venue that you would like to include, you can, but you shouldn’t feel obligated. This meal is really for those who stayed over after a night of partying and celebrating the new Mr. and Mrs!